Cylinder washing-machine.



N W. BARTHOLOMEW.

CYLINDER WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION msn mm2. 1912.

1,151,993. 1 PatemedAug. 31,1915.' j9- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM BARTHOLOMEW, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO TROY LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, LTD., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

CYLINDER WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

Application .filed December 2, 1912. Serial No. 734,540.

To ail whom t may concern -Be it known that I, WILLIAM BARTHoLo- MEW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cylinder Washing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to laundry machinery, and more particularly to cylinder washing machines.

In the use of cylinder washing machines the clothes or other articles to be washed are placed in the cylinder which is then revolved within the inclosing tank which contains the suds in the bottom thereof. It is necessary that all portions of the articles should be subjected to the suds in order that they may be thoroughly cleansed. To accomplish this it is desirable that as the cylinder revolves throughthe suds in the bottom of the tank, the suds should be forced through the cylinder into contact with the articles, and also that the suds should be carried upwardly bv the surface of the cylinder so as to flow downwardly through the cylinder upon the articles therein. The articles are therefore not only subjected to the suds forced through the lower portions of the cylinder as it passes through the suds, but also to the suds falling upon them from the upper surface of the cylinder. It is further desirable that the foregoing actions should occur when the cylinder is rotated in either direction 'so that all portions of the articles may be i the more thoroughly exposed to the suds.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a cylinder for washing machines in which the articles will be thoroughly subjected to the action of the suds, not only by effectively forcing the suds through the portion of the cylinder passing through the suds, but by scooping some of the suds up and carrying them to a point above the articles so that they will fall upon them within the cylinder.

A further object of my invention is to provide a cylinder for washing machines in which the inclosed articles will be thoroughly subjected to the action of the suds without danger of injury to the articles, and which will be simple in construction and durable in use.

My invention will be more fully disclosed herelnafter with reference to the accompanylng drawing in which the same is illustrated as embodied in a convenient and practical form, and in which- Figure 1 is an elevational view of a cylinder embodying my invention, the same bein g shown as removed from the tank and wlth the central portion thereof broken away; Fig. 2, a transverse sectional view through the lower portion of the cylinder shown in Fig. l; and Fig. 3, a detail sectional view.

The same reference characters will be used to designate the same parts in the figures ofthe drawing.

Reference character A indicates one of a number of staves forming the cylindrical wall of the cylinder of a washing machine.

The ends of the staves A are secured around 1 located longitudinal bars C which serve to rigidly connect the cylinder heads B so as to impart to the cylinder the requisite structural strength. The bars C project inwardly from the inner surface of the staves A so as to form ribs which serve to carry f the wet articles with the cylinder as it rotates a distance above the bottom of the cylinder so that the articles will fall back by gravity and thereby be turned over and thoroughly exposed to the suds.

D, l) designate trunnions proj axially outwardly from the cylinder heads B which are adapted to engage bearings in the ends lof the tank for rotatably supporting the cylinder. As neither the manner of supporting the cylinder nor the construction of the inclosing tank form parts of my present invention, they need not be disclosed. Fixed to one of the trunnions is any suitable means for communicating rotary motion to the cylinder, such for instance as a gear E, which is adapted to be driven by any suitable' power connections. Several of the stayes A are connected to strap hinges F and F2 so as to form an outecting wardly swinging door to permit access to the interior of the cylinder for the insertion and removal of the articles.

' f and f2 designate any suitable fastening devices for retaining the cover in closed position and for permitting the cover to be opened. Preferably the stave at the free 'end of the door upon which the latches are mounted is made imperforate'so as to possess greater structural strength.

My invention consists essentially in the structure of the staves A and in their relation to each other. It will be observed that each stave A is provided with parallel inner and outer surfaces, the intermediate longitudinal portions of such surfaces being sub-v stantially fiat while the side longitudinal portions .of such surfaces are inclined inwardly, as indicated at A and A2. A series of spaced holes a and a2 are formed through the inwardly inclined side portions of the staves, the holes in the two side p0rtions of each stave converging so as'to extend at an angle to the planesof the outer surfaces of the inwardly inclined side por, tions.' The adjacent edges of adjoining staves are preferably slightly spaced apart so as to permit of the expansion and contraction of the staves due to their wet or dry condition, the staves being preferably formed of wood.

L By reference t0 Fig. 2, it Will be seen l mward inclination of the side portions A2 of the respective staves, and by reason of their inclination toward the longitudinal center ofthe staves, permit a more ready l forcing of the suds through the lower portion of the cylinder into contact with the inclosed articles. The longitudinal grooves formed on the outer surface of the cylinder b etween adjacent staves by reason of the inward inclination of the 'side portions of the staves, serveto carry the suds with the cylinder to points above the clothes so that the suds will then flow through the holes in the staves upon articles inclosed in the cylinder. The longitudinal ribs formed upon the inner surface of the cylinder between. adjacent staves serve to produce a rubbing effect upon the articles as they are rolled about in the cylinder during its rotation, thereby expediting the cleansing of the articles without injury to them.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that I have invented an improved cylinder Washing machine which will etliciently subject the articles to the suds in the bottom of the tank and also to suds which iiow upon the articles from above, owing to the surface of the cylinder being such as to carry the suds with it in its rotation. It will also be observed that the construction'of the inner surface of my improved cylinder is such as vto produce a rubbing action upon the articles, and to turn them over so as to thoroughly subject them to the action of the suds.

I claim:

l. In a cylinder for lwashing machines, the combination with cylinder heads of spaced longitudinal bars connecting said heads, a plurality of staves intermediate of adjacent bars and connected to said heads, each of said staves comprising a flat longitudinal central surface, and inwardly inclined longitudinal side surfaces having inwardly converging holes extending through them.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with cylinder heads, of staves secured to the heads and each comprising a longitudinal central surface and inwardly. inclined longitudinal side surfaces, the two side surfaces having inwardly 'converging holes extending through them.

3. In a device of the character described,

the, combination with cylinder heads, of a plurality of staves having their interior adjacent surfaces inclined inwardly to form longitudinal ribs between adjacent staves, said ribs having openings extending from the exterior to the interior of the cylinder. In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

WILLIAM BAnTHoLoMEw.

Witnesses:

GEO. L. WILKINSON, HENRY A. PARKS. 

